Celtics' start familiar to Pistons

by
A. Sherrod Blakely

Tuesday December 18, 2007, 2:16 AM

AUBURN HILLS -- Detroit Pistons center Rasheed Wallace is among those to recognize how the Boston Celtics (20-2) have run roughshod over just about every team they've faced this season.

It was just two years ago that Wallace and the Pistons were whipping opponents at a similar clip. Detroit got off to a 19-3 start during the 2005-2006 season.

Detroit wound up winning a franchise-record 64 games in the regular season. It was a joyful time for the Pistons, but the road to getting there left little in the tank for the playoffs. And, just like that, Detroit's dream season soon turned into disappointment after the Miami Heat knocked them out in the Eastern Conference Finals before going on to win that franchise's first NBA title.

The wear and tear, both physically and mentally, of putting together such an impressive regular season didn't hit Wallace or his teammates until it was too late to do anything about it.

When asked whether Boston's success reminds him of Detroit's fast start two years ago, Wallace grinned initially before responding, "yeah, it does, it does. Weary legs. You gonna need them in the long run. They got off to a good start, but they're gonna need those legs later on."

Pistons coach Flip Saunders said he has not been surprised at Boston's success. Not only do they have a star-studded squad led by All-Stars Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, but their schedule has been very Celtic-friendly. All but one of Boston's games this season has been on Eastern Standard Time. They begin a four-game West coast trip Dec. 26 in Sacramento.

"They're in a great comfort zone," Saunders said of the Celtics. "They haven't had an extended road trip yet."

And while they have been among the more talked-about teams all season, the chatter only will grow louder as their win total continues to soar.

"Just where they're at now, their record 20-2, you're going to have people start to talk about them winning 75 games and everything else," Saunders said.

Rondo emerges
Second-year point guard Rajon Rondo was one of the big question marks for Boston heading into this season. His solid play this season has answered the many naysayers who saw him as the Celtics' biggest weakness.

"He's been playing great lately," said Detroit's Tayshaun Prince who, like Rondo, attended the University of Kentucky. "Probably the start of the season there was pressure on him. But he just kind of relaxed and let the big 3 do their thing and fit in, control the tempo and things like that ... that better suits him."

While Boston's Big Three have been given much of the credit for the team's success, Saunders believes Rondo's development has been instrumental in the Celtics' impressive win total.

"I don't know if anyone has improved as much as Rondo," Saunders said. "When you put what he's doing in that pressure situation ... he has done an unbelievable job. He has a tough job, being the quarterback of that team. And for a second-year guy, having to play with the superstars that he's playing with, he hasn't deferred to those guys. He's shown a lot of aggressiveness."